Rapid determination of thyroid hormones in blood plasma from Glaucous gulls and Baikal seals by HybridSPE®-LC-MS/MS

A rapid hybrid solid phase extraction (HybridSPE®) protocol tailored to liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC–ESI–MS/MS) analysis, was developed for the determination of four thyroid hormones, L-Thyroxine (T4), 3,3′,5-triiodo-L-thyronine (T3), 3,3′,5′-triiodo-L-thyronine (rT3) and 3,3′-diiodo-L-thyronine (T2) in blood plasma from Glaucous gulls (Larus hyperboreus) and Baikal seals (Phoca sibirica). The use of target analyte specific 13C internal standards allowed quantification to be performed through the standard solvent calibration curves and alleviated the need to perform quantification with matrix match curves. The relative recoveries were 100.0–110.1 % for T4, 99.1–102.2 % for T3, 100.5–108.0 % for rT3, and 100.5–104.6 % for T2. The matrix effects ranged from −1.52 to −6.10 %, demonstrating minor signal suppression during analysis. The method intra-day precision (method repeatability, RSD %, N = 5, k = 1 day) and inter-day precision (method reproducibility, RSD %, N = 10, k = 2 days) at the 1 ng/mL concentration of fortification were 8.54–15.4 % and 15.4–24.8 %, respectively, indicating acceptable chromatographic peak stabilities for all target THs even at trace level concentrations. The method limit of detection (LOD) for T4, T3, rT3 and T2 was 0.17, 0.16, 0.30 and 0.17 ng/mL, respectively. The HybridSPE® protocol was simple and rapid (<1 min) upon application, while the HybridSPE® cartridge did not require (as in classical SPE cartridges) any additional equilibration nor conditioning step prior sample loading. A total of 46 blood plasma samples, 30 samples collected from Glaucous gulls and 16 samples collected from Baikal seals, were analyzed for thyroid hormones to demonstrate the applicability of the developed method in these wildlife species. The concentrations of T4 and T3 in blood plasma from the Glaucous gulls were 5.95–44.2 and 0.37–5.61 ng/mL, respectively, whereas those from Baikal seals were 3.57–46.5 and 0.45–2.07 ng/mL, respectively. In both species, rT3 demonstrated low detection rate, while T2 was not detected. Furthermore, cross-array comparison between the HybridSPE®-LC-MS/MS protocol and an established routine radioimmunoassay (RIA) kit-based method was performed for T4 and T3 concentrations from selected Baikal seal plasma samples.publishedVersio

Occurrence and tissue distribution of 33 legacy and novel per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in Baikal seals (Phoca sibirica)

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are bioaccumulative and associated with adverse effects in both wildlife and humans. The occurrence of 33 PFASs was assessed in the plasma, liver, blubber, and brain of 18 Baikal seals (Phoca sibirica) (16 pups and 2 adult females) from Lake Baikal, Russia (in 2011). Of the 33 congeners analysed for: perfluorooctanosulfonic acid (PFOS), 7 long chain perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (C8–C14 PFCAs) and 1 branched PFCA (perfluoro-3,7-dimethyloctanoic acid; P37DMOA) were most frequently detected. The PFASs in plasma and liver with the highest median concentrations were legacy congeners: perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnA; plasma: 11.2 ng/g w.w.; liver: 7.36 ng/g w.w.), PFOS (plasma: 8.67 ng/g w.w.; liver: 9.86 ng/g w.w.), perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA; plasma: 5.13 ng/g w.w.; liver: 6.69 ng/g w.w.), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA; plasma: 4.65 ng/g w.w.; liver: 5.83 ng/g w.w.) and perfluorotridecanoic acid (PFTriDA; plasma: 4.29 ng/g w.w.; liver: 2.55 ng/g w.w.). PFASs were detected in the brain of Baikal seals, indicating that PFASs cross through the blood–brain barrier. In blubber, the majority of PFASs were detected in low abundance and concentrations. In contrast to legacy PFASs, novel congeners (e.g., Gen X) were either detected infrequently or not found in Baikal seals. The worldwide occurrence of PFASs in pinnipeds was compared and lower median concentrations of PFOS were observed in Baikal seals relative to other pinnipeds. Conversely, similar concentrations of long chain PFCAs were found in Baikal seals compared to other pinnipeds. Furthermore, human exposure was assessed by estimating weekly intakes (EWI) of PFASs through Baikal seal consumption. Although PFASs concentrations were comparatively low relative to other pinnipeds, consumption of Baikal seal could exceed current regulatory guidelines.publishedVersio

Connecting Peptide Physicochemical and Antimicrobial Properties by a Rational Prediction Model

The increasing rate in antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains has become an imperative health issue. Thus, pharmaceutical industries have focussed their efforts to find new potent, non-toxic compounds to treat bacterial infections. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are promising candidates in the fight against antibiotic-resistant pathogens due to their low toxicity, broad range of activity and unspecific mechanism of action. In this context, bioinformatics' strategies can inspire the design of new peptide leads with enhanced activity. Here, we describe an artificial neural network approach, based on the AMP's physicochemical characteristics, that is able not only to identify active peptides but also to assess its antimicrobial potency. The physicochemical properties considered are directly derived from the peptide sequence and comprise a complete set of parameters that accurately describe AMPs. Most interesting, the results obtained dovetail with a model for the AMP's mechanism of action that takes into account new concepts such as peptide aggregation. Moreover, this classification system displays high accuracy and is well correlated with the experimentally reported data. All together, these results suggest that the physicochemical properties of AMPs determine its action. In addition, we conclude that sequence derived parameters are enough to characterize antimicrobial peptides

Erasmus Language students in a British University – a case study

Students’ assessment of their academic experience is actively sought by Higher Education institutions, as evidenced in the National Student Survey introduced in 2005. Erasmus students, despite their growing numbers, tend to be excluded from these satisfaction surveys, even though they, too, are primary customers of a University. This study aims to present results from bespoke questionnaires and semi-structured interviews with a sample of Erasmus students studying languages in a British University. These methods allow us insight into the experience of these students and their assessment as a primary customer, with a focus on language learning and teaching, university facilities and student support. It investigates to what extent these factors influence their levels of satisfaction and what costs of adaptation if any, they encounter. Although excellent levels of satisfaction were found, some costs affect their experience. They relate to difficulties in adapting to a learning methodology based on a low number of hours and independent learning and to a guidance and support system seen as too stifling. The results portray this cohort’s British University as a well-equipped and well-meaning but ultimately overbearing institution, which may indicate that minimising costs can eliminate some sources of dissatisfaction

The impact of a minimal smoking cessation intervention for pregnant women and their partners on perinatal smoking behaviour in primary health care: A real-life controlled study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>There is a demand for strategies to promote smoking cessation in high-risk populations like smoking pregnant women and their partners. The objectives of this study were to investigate parental smoking behaviour during pregnancy after introduction of a prenatal, structured, multi-disciplinary smoking cessation programme in primary care, and to compare smoking behaviour among pregnant women in the city of Trondheim with Bergen and Norway.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Sequential birth cohorts were established to evaluate the intervention programme from September 2000 to December 2004 in primary care as a part of the Prevention of Allergy among Children in Trondheim study (PACT). The primary outcome variables were self reported smoking behaviour at inclusion and six weeks postnatal. Data from the Medical Birth Registry of Norway (MBR) were used to describe smoking cessation during pregnancy in Trondheim, Bergen and Norway 1999–2004.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Maternal smoking prevalence at inclusion during pregnancy were 5% (CI 95% 4–6) in the intervention cohort compared to 7% (CI 95% 6–9), p = 0.03, in the control cohort. Of the pre-pregnancy maternal smokers 25% (CI 95% 20–31) and 32% (CI 95% 26–38), p = 0.17, were still smoking at inclusion in the intervention and control cohorts, respectively. Six weeks postnatal 72% (CI 95% 59–83) and 68% (CI 95% 57–77), p = 0.34 of the maternal smokers at inclusion still smoked. No significant difference in paternal smoking between the cohorts was found after the intervention period. Data from the MBR showed a significantly higher proportion of women who stopped smoking during pregnancy in Trondheim than in Bergen in 2003 and 2004, p = 0.03 and < 0.001, respectively.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>No impact on parental smoking behaviour between the cohorts was observed after the smoking intervention programme. Of the women who stopped smoking during pregnancy most of them stopped smoking before the intervention. However, we observed a significantly higher quitting rate in Trondheim than in Bergen in 2003 and 2004 which may have been facilitated by the supplemental attention on smoking behaviour the PACT study initiated.</p

EFSUMB Guidelines on Interventional Ultrasound (INVUS), Part III - Abdominal Treatment Procedures (Short Version)

Publisher Copyright: © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York ·.The third part of the European Federation of Societies for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology (EFSUMB) Guidelines on Interventional Ultrasound assesses the evidence for ultrasound-guided and assisted interventions in abdominal treatment procedures. Recommendations for clinical practice are presented covering indications, contraindications, safety and efficacy of the broad variety of these techniques. In particular, drainage of abscesses and fluid collections, interventional tumor ablation techniques, interventional treatment of symptomatic cysts and echinococcosis, percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography and drainage, percutaneous gastrostomy, urinary bladder drainage, and nephrostomy are addressed (short version; a long version is published online).publishersversionPeer reviewe

EFSUMB Guidelines on Interventional Ultrasound (INVUS), Part III - Abdominal Treatment Procedures (Long Version)

Publisher Copyright: © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart. New York .The third part of the European Federation of Societies for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology (EFSUMB) Guidelines on Interventional Ultrasound (INVUS) assesses the evidence for ultrasound-guided and assisted interventions in abdominal treatment procedures. Recommendations for clinical practice are presented covering indications, contraindications, and safe and effective performance of the broad variety of these techniques. In particular, drainage of abscesses and fluid collections, interventional tumor ablation techniques, interventional treatment of symptomatic cysts and echinococcosis, percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography and drainage, percutaneous gastrostomy, urinary bladder drainage, and nephrostomy are addressed (long version).publishersversionPeer reviewe